It’s not much of a secret that we’re getting fed up with the waiting now. H is extremely uncomfortable, no matter whether she sits, stands or walks around. Neither of us is sleeping very well at all, with the result that concentration has gone out of the window and we pass chunks of the day in a zombie-like trance. And we know that it probably will not get any easier in the next few weeks, with more sleepless nights and the novelty that is a smelly nappy to contend with.

You have to wonder why people volunteer for this sort of thing.

UPDATE: Not more than half an hour after writing that, Hels became concerned that things were kicking off. So we phoned ahead and went to the hospital (a 30 minute journey from here). H was attached to monitors and given a trace and lots of prodding, but it proved to a false alarm – nothing had started and the baby was acting normally. So we relaxed, came back home and actually had one of the best night’s sleep we’ve had in the last week. But it does all keep you on your toes.

Most long-term readers of this site will be aware that I’ve never really been a fan of television and, for many years, I didn’t have one. Since meeting Hels, TV has been around a little more and I must confess to avidly devouring episodes of The Simpsons as well as food programmes and the occasional documentary. However, yesterday we had a dark day – Dad gave us an unwanted digital receiver box thingy. We now have all the free channels – Three, Five (digital only here), More 4, Even More 4, More 4 Than That, As Much 4 As You Can Take and 4 The Love Of God No More 4 Thank You. I think we’re on a slippery slope unless I can programme it so that only BBC Parliament comes on (the world’s most boring TV channel).

Use a pseudonym on the net? Leave comments on blogs or newsgroups? Well, you could be in trouble with the law.

Under new legislation recently signed by Dubya, it is now an offence to “cause annoyance” on the internet without disclosing your true identity. So if you flame someone on a site, perhaps in their comments, and do so using a pseudonym, then you could be liable for fines or up to two years in the clink. Sledgehammer and walnut, anyone?